Sun 18th Jun 2017 - Greene King in zero waste to landfill by 2020 pledge Greene King in zero waste to landfill by 2020 pledge: Brewer and retailer Greene King has set a target of zero waste sent to landfill by 2020, the “first pledge of its kind in the UK’s pub industry”. The declaration follows the launch of Greene King’s partnership with waste management company SWR in April 2016, with the aim to progressively reduce landfill waste across the entire managed estate and remove it completely by 2020. Since the SWR partnership began, Greene King has introduced a number of initiatives across its managed pubs, including a waste recycling back-haul scheme, where pub teams separate waste on-site into dedicated bins, which has cut the number of general waste bins used by the company by 42%. Greene King said it had achieved a 95% diversion away from landfill rate during the same period, with almost 8,000 tonnes of food diverted from landfill across the entire estate. The initiative has also resulted in the business increasing its recycle rate from 49% to 70% and saving 3,950,581 tonnes of carbon dioxide. Greene King group trading director Matt Todd said: “We’re delighted we’re able to set an example to the rest of the industry and show that sustainability and an excellent offering can work hand-in-hand. The results show we’re making real progress towards our goal.” Greene King is also working with resource efficiency charity The Waste and Resources Action Programme to implement two key waste engagement projects – a best-practice training programme for area managers, and an initiative to work with supply chain partners regarding packaging and portion control.